


The unvoiced need we carry inside

by glim



Series: pthon 2014 [6]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Community: summerpornathon, Inspired by Art, Loss, Multi, Seasonal, Team Gluttony, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-13
Updated: 2014-09-13
Packaged: 2018-02-17 05:59:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2299004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glim/pseuds/glim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>He cannot give them back everything they've lost, not even with his magic, but he can try and give them something new, something that will last well past the coming winter.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	The unvoiced need we carry inside

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Summer Pornathon 2014 Challenge Six: Cycles. 
> 
> Inspired by the cycle of the year as depicted in the [Labours of the Months](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labours_of_the_Months) in Medieval art.

_February: Sitting by the fire_

"Come stay at mine tonight," Gwen says, tucking Merlin in against her side. 

He smiles, nods, and smiles again when she brushes the snowflakes from his fringe. By the time they reach the village, snow covers the castle, muffles their voices and footsteps, and lights the evening world with an eerie brightness.

Gwen tugs Merlin along to hurry him through the hush to her small house; she cups her hands over his pink ears as soon as they get inside. 

"You look cold." 

"You don't," Merlin murmurs, "you look so warm." He slides his arms under her cloak to hold Gwen close, then sinks into the kiss she gives him. 

And sinks onto the bed when she tugs him there, too. Gwen kisses Merlin again and again, harder each time until he sighs against her neck. His fingers reach to unlace her bodice, and Gwen shrugs off her cloak. 

Despite the banked fire, the house is chilly, and they undress slowly to keep their warmth close. Merlin kisses Gwen's neck and her breasts until she's wet between her thighs. She teases him, too, making him shiver with gentle touches to his stomach, making him tremble until they're both hot with need.

"I thought my first winter in Camelot would be so cold," Merlin says later, his head tucked against Gwen's chest. 

Gwen presses her face into Merlin's hair. "And I thought I'd be alone in this house." 

 

_May: Hawking; Courtly Love_

"Surely, hawking doesn't require this much finery and... poetry?"

Arthur frowns into the mirror. "I thought you liked poetry?"

"I do..." Merlin's voice trails off and when Arthur flicks his glance up to look at Merlin's reflection, he's still poring over the manuscript on Arthur's desk. 

Arthur watches Merlin for a few more moments: watches his long, slim fingers trace the images, watches his lips move as he reads the words, watches how he tenses his shoulders as he leans closer.

His gaze flicks back to his own reflection. He looks tired; he wishes Morgana were here to join the hawking party, to receive his favors with a sharp retort, to rest her hand above his racing heart and brush her lips against his bare skin.

"That's not actually a book of poetry, Merlin."

Merlin makes a sound of assent, but Arthur knows what picture he's pondering: the languishing lover and his lady. He is nothing like Morgana, not at all, yet there is something about the way Merlin looks at Arthur, the way he touches Arthur, that makes Arthur's heart leap in his chest once more. 

When he looks up again, Merlin is standing behind him. Their eyes meet in the reflection; Arthur drops his gaze just before Merlin's lips brush his ear. When he turns to kiss Merlin, his chest swells with both relief and desire.

He's longed for this, but has never known how to ask for it. 

 

_September: Grape Harvest_

When the first harvest festival of his reign begins, Arthur walks down to the lower town with Merlin and Gwen. His father would never have done this, but Arthur doesn't think twice about accepting the invitation. 

Merlin loves him for all this--for the smile on his face as Gwen places the first of the late summer fruits into his hand, for the way he hands out well-wishes to the people twice as often as he receives them, for the way he grasps Merlin's hand in his own for a brief moment before handing Merlin a cup of wine.

He loves Arthur, too, for the way he grasps Merlin's hand again as they enter the castle, for the way he smiles low and shy at Gwen, for the unvoiced need that he carries inside him. He loves the warm dizziness that wine gives him, and how Gwen's mouth tastes like sweet, crushed grapes.

When he undresses Arthur tonight, Merlin does not take care. He strips Arthur quickly with fumbling fingers and almost pushes him down onto the bed. Merlin takes more care with Gwen, then lets her undress him and pull him down next to Arthur. 

He cannot give them back everything they've lost, not even with his magic, but he can try and give them something new, something that will last well past the coming winter.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [venture to be wise (the unvoiced need we carry inside remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3755302) by [flammablehat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flammablehat/pseuds/flammablehat)




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